


The Armor Outside, the Armor Within

by Lucky_Duck



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Canon-Typical Violence, Fusion of Star Wars Legends and Disney Canon, Gen, Jetpack Flying!, Male-Female Friendship, Post-Season/Series 01, Trust Issues, dealing with the past
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-12
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:49:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25219546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lucky_Duck/pseuds/Lucky_Duck
Summary: Din Djarin teams up with Mara Jade to search for information about the Child. They must use all their skills to succeed, but in the end, the most difficult task is fighting their mutual distrust.Star Wars Mandalorian x Legends crossover. Set roughly around 9 ABY, after the first season of The Mandalorian and before Heir to the Empire.
Relationships: The Mandalorian & Mara Jade
Kudos: 15





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> There are minor references to Timothy Zahn’s Allegiance and Thrawn Trilogy, but you don’t need to know Legends stuff to read this fic. It helps if you know who is Mara Jade though :)

For five days the Razor Crest was sitting on the orbit of an uninhabited planet somewhere in the Outer Rim. Mando spent most of the time repairing the damage it had suffered during the last encounter with the Empire, tending to his own injuries, and sleeping. 

The Child, blissfully oblivious to what was happening around him, toddled around the ship, babbling happily every time Mando paid attention to him. 

Mando grew on the kid more quickly than he had thought possible. They were one clan now, one family, and he reluctantly had to admit to himself that he liked it. There were times he wished they could just run away, settle on some peaceful backwater planet and spend the rest of their days out of trouble. But there was no peace for them and he knew it.

He had to make the call.

He sighed, keyed the com code on his holoprojector and waited.

“Mando, my friend!” Greef Karga exclaimed when the transmission went through. “How good to see you.” He smiled broadly. “May I assume you have changed your mind and you'll be joining us?”

“I'm afraid not,” Mando said.

Karga shook his head. “Pity… But my offer still stands, don't you forget it. How's the kid?”

Mando glanced back. The Child was sitting in his made up seat, watching Mando with his huge beady eyes. His ears twitched a little when Mando looked at him.

“Fine so far. I need a little help.”

Karga sighed theatrically. “I had a feeling this was not a social call,” he said. “What can I do for you?”

Mando went straight to the point. “I came across this man, Barshnis Choard,” he said. “He's a Governor of the Imperial Remnant in Rab Quda. He used to be a liaison between moff Gideon and his flunkies. He could have some information on the kid.”

“It seems like a wild shot,” said Karga doubtfully. “This guy might have nothing at all, or it might me a trap.”

“I know,” Mando said gravely. “But he's all I have.”

Karga slowly nodded. “And what can I help you with?” he asked carefully.

“I need to get to him. They say he is quite high in the food chain there, so it won't be easy. I need somebody with experience in this field. I was hoping that you or your contacts may know someone.”

“Well, I suppose Cara would be willing to help you,” Karga said. “She always says that working for the guild is nowhere near as fun as when  _ you  _ take her out.”

Mando shook his head. “No,” he said. “This is different. I need a spy, not a warrior.”

“I see…” Karga said thoughtfully. “I'll surely ask around and get back to you.”

The answer came in two days.

“This is the best I could get,” Karga's flickering holo recording said. “She's lying low at the moment, so you may have a hard time to persuade her. I'm afraid I don't have anyone else, but she's supposed to be top-class.

“I also had a look at that Barshnis Choard guy. My guild intel says he's buried in Rab Quda like a space slug in its hole and never leaves. Apparently, he's enjoying his governance a little too much, spending money on parties and podraces. There's a chance he hasn't heard of you yet.”

“Good,” Mando murmured.

“And one more thing,” Karga said with a smile. “I have a message for you from Cara. She says that she's really pissed off with you that you're leaving her out of this.”

“I'm sure she is,” Mando said with a hint of amusement in his voice. He keyed off the holo and turned to the Child. “What do you say?” he asked him. “You ready for a trip to Varonat?”

* * *

Varonat was a green planet in the Anoat sector, almost entirely covered with thick jungle. There were few settlements and only one spaceport. Mando set the Razor Crest down in the assigned docking bay. 

“Is this the place?” he said doubtfully and looked through the viewport. The dock was shabby, and there were no personnel to be seen. He shut the engines down. 

“Okay, womp rat, you stay here,” he said firmly to the kid. “This time I mean it.”

The Child looked up at him and made a whimpering sound. 

Mando stroked his ear gently. “I'll be back soon,” he said in a more comforting tone. “Don't touch anything.”

The maintenance area of the port was large compared to the size of the town. There was a number of ships, from bulky transports to small freighters. Each of them in various stages of disassembly. 

Mando walked into the nearest workshop where a battered pleasure yacht was sitting next to an even more battered transport. But still there were no people. He looked around and spotted a pair of frightened eyes peeking at him from behind a stock of crates.

“Hey, you!” he called. “Come here.”

The eyes widened. A small fat human emerged from the hideout and looked at Mando from a careful distance.

“Can I help you, sir?” he asked nervously.

“I'm looking for someone,” Mando said. “Can you help?”

“I don't know, sir,” the man stammered. “I'm just–”

“The name's Mara Jade.”

The man blinked. “Sure, sure,” he said. “You, boy!” he shouted towards the yacht. “I need you to take this man to Vassa's place.” 

A teenage boy emerged from the ship's boarding ramp and looked at Mando with the same mixture of fear and awe as his father. 

“Follow me,” he peeped and led Mando through a maze of narrow streets to another workshop. They stopped in front of a half-dismounted freighter. Two legs in high boots were poking out of the repulsorlift shaft. The boy turned around and ran back as fast as he could.

“Are you Mara Jade?” Mando asked the boots.

“Who's asking?” said a sharp voice from beneath the ship. A slender young woman with golden-red hair crawled out of the shaft and looked up at him.

“What do you want, bounty hunter?” She gave him an unfriendly look with her piercing green eyes and stood up. Unlike the others, she didn't seem to be scared of him, or even surprised by his presence. On the contrary, she measured him with an unconcerned glance as if she was accustomed to Mandalorians dropping by her shop on a regular basis.

“I have a job for you,” Mando said.

“Sorry, I'm fully booked.” She pointed at the freighter. “See? This'll take a few days and there's this shuttle waiting for me afterwards.”

“Not this kind of job.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Really,” she said sarcastically. “Do I look like I'm placing advertisements?”

Mando watched her carefully through the slit in his helmet, trying to read the woman and failing. She was hard as beskar. He decided to go straight to the point.

“I need to break into the Governor’s office on Rab Quda,” he said.

Mara sneered.

“I need help.”

She glanced at him coldly. “You don't need me to do that,” she said. “You need an army. Perhaps you should ask some of your Mandalorian friends to help you.” Her face hardened. “If there are any left.”

Mando knew she was trying to provoke him. To see his reaction. He wouldn't give her any. 

“I need it to be inconspicuous,” he said.

“An espionage?” Mara asked and Mando saw he finally caught her attention. “Why would Mandalorians spy against the Empire? Or is it the New Republic you are working for now?” There was a clear disdain in her voice.

He shook his head. “No,” he said. “This is… personal.”

She cocked her eyebrow. “Personal?” 

“Yes.”

Mara gave him a long inspecting look. “Do you have a name, Mando?” she asked.

“Sure,” he said.

She stared at him hard as if trying to see through the visor. Then she shook her head. “Sorry, I'm not interested,” she said. “Surely not in working against the Empire.”

“Why not?”

Mara smiled wryly. “This is personal,” she quoted him. Not waiting for his answer she disappeared under the repulsorlift again.

Mando walked slowly back to the Razor Crest. He knew he had lost the first round, but he was not giving up yet. He would hang around for a few days and maybe he would get another chance to talk to Mara Jade. 

Mara watched him leaving the service area through the repulsorlift safety grille. When he had disappeared behind a corner, she got up, locked her tools inside the ship and set off after him. A Mandalorian on a personal crusade against the Empire? Something funny was going on here and Mara was determined to find out what.

Mando was a good target. His shiny armor was visible from afar and she had no trouble following him while keeping cautious distance.

“You really need someone to be inconspicuous for you,” she murmured while watching him from behind a fruit stall. 

A few minutes later she saw him entering his ship. She didn't expect him to leave the planet yet and she was right. In half an hour the ship's ramp opened again and the Mandalorian left. 

He didn't look back. If he did, he would see a slim shadow slipping into the Razor Crest through the gap in the closing hatch door.

The Razor Crest's interior was even more utilitarian than Mara had expected it to be. A small cargo bay, simple living quarters, stocks of crates with supplies and equipment. There was nothing showy around here, nothing that wasn't strictly functional. The Mandalorian obviously wasn't fond of unnecessary lavishness. Nevertheless, she had a vague feeling that something just didn't fit here. 

Mara carefully looked around, noticing the weapons locker and the carbonite freezing system. No bounties though, she thought, so the Mandalorian was not on a hunt.

She climbed the ladder to the cockpit, slipped into the pilot's chair and turned on the computer. She scanned the log trying to guess where the Mandalorian came from, but his recent flight history seemed fairly random. Then she examined the comm log. Apart from usual communication with starports, there were only two long-range calls, both to Nevarro. The second was a recorded holo. Mara played it.

She watched Greef Karga’s message with interest. “So this is how you found me,” she muttered to herself. Then something else caught her attention. She paused the recording and played it again from the beginning. An icy expression appeared on her face.

She shut down the computer, made sure she left the cockpit in the same state she had found it, and climbed the ladder to the lower deck.

The strange feeling she had had since she boarded the ship struck her with a new intensity. Her connection to the Force was long lost, but from time to time she experienced these nagging feelings, and she knew better than to ignore them. 

Was there someone else aboard? She had checked every possible hideout, so unless there was a hidden door somewhere the ship had to be empty. But still…

A small sound came from behind her. She turned around swiftly, all senses alert–

And stopped dead.

“What in the Empire…” she gasped.

A small creature was hiding in the capsule bed. No, not a creature, Mara corrected herself. A child. It was watching her with large curious eyes, seemingly not at all disturbed by her presence.

She tilted her head, studying the little face. She felt something… odd. It was not the cuteness of the Child, Mara knew, she had never cared very much about babies. Yet, she could sense some kind of strange connection, even affection to the Child, as if seeing a long lost friend. 

They watched each other for a long time. An unconscious smile crept on Mara's lips and stayed there. Something about the Child filled her with calmness and peace she hadn't experienced for a long time. 

The Child raised his little hand towards Mara. As if in a dream she slowly raised hers and moved closer.

Before she could touch the Child, something hit her hard and threw her on the wall. She ducked instinctively and another punch missed her head by centimeters.

“I didn't hurt it,” she tried to say but she lost her breath when another blow hit her into her stomach. She dropped on the floor and rolled sideways.

The Mandalorian was a head taller and much stronger than Mara, and she knew she couldn't defeat him in a hand-to-hand combat. But as the former Emperor's Hand she possessed many fighting skills. She jumped high, catching hold of the coolant piping on the ceiling and kicking Mando's chest plate. He staggered, but managed to grab her foot and deflect her from her intended direction. She somersaulted back and landed on both feet, only to be forced to jump again to avoid another hit.

The Mandalorian clearly realized she was too quick for him and opted for a different tactics. Instead of trying to hit her, he punched his forearm flamethrower and launched a magnificent ball of fire in her direction.

Mara ducked behind a pile of crates, trying to put out the ends of her hair that started smoldering. She knew she needed a distraction or the Mandalorian would roast her as a shatual. 

With all force she could muster she threw one of the crates on her opponent. He easily deflected it, but it was the half-second he was looking in another direction that she needed. She jumped onto the cockpit ladder and swiftly climbed out of sight.

Mando drew his blaster and aimed it at the crates where he expected her to be. He made a step, then another, and then his blaster was kicked away by Mara's foot. She slid down the ladder and in one smooth motion she rolled on the floor, grabbed his blaster and stood up again, now aiming at his head. 

Mando didn't move, just watched her as if daring her to shoot. Mara knew his beskar helmet would suppress one shot even from this distance. And then the Mandalorian would be upon her before she could fire for the second time. But she wasn't eager to fight anyway. She lowered the blaster. 

“You didn't tell me it was Governor Choard you were after,” she said accusingly.

She handed him his blaster. Mando took it and holstered it, not letting his gaze off her face.

“Does it matter?” he asked.

“It might,” Mara said and massaged her side where he had hit her. “If you still want my help, I'm in.”

* * *

“Barshnis Choard,” Mara said with disdain. She and Mando were sitting in the Razor Crest's cockpit, watching the hyperspace drifting wildly behind the transparisteel canopy. 

“He used to be the Governor of Shelsha sector. Power-hungry and ambitious, he always sought powerful allies to gain more influence. On one occasion, he ganged up the BloodScar pirates, and that lead to his downfall. He was charged for treason and by all standards should have been executed or at least sent to a penal colony for the rest of his life. But men like him always play dirty.

“Through manipulation, bribery and support from powerful friends, he had avoided imprisonment and after the fall of the Empire he gained power again. Now he is safely hidden in one of the last few Imperial systems, spending embezzled credits and playing overlord.”

Mara carefully avoided any mention of what part she had played in the story, and Mando didn't ask. The man knew how to respect others' personal space, she thought with appreciation. That was a rare virtue.

“It won't be easy to get to him,” she said thoughtfully. “His place will be certainly heavily guarded. Hope you have a good plan.”

Mando's helmet turned just slightly towards her. “You mean other than getting in there and shoot the way through?” he asked sardonically. “I don't.”

Mara gave him an amused look. “You're not very good at planning, are you?”

“That’s why you're here,” he said.

Their discussion was interrupted by the Child’s incoherent babble. For the last half an hour, the infant had been occupied with chewing on an empty tibanna cartridge, but the toy had evidently lost its appeal. He was now reaching his little hands towards Mando, trying hard to get his attention. Mando lifted him carefully and placed him on his lap. The Child cooed happily.

“And what's his story?” Mara asked. She had already decided that the kid wasn’t a bounty. No bounty hunter would be that kind to an asset, not even a valuable one. Nor was he obviously the Mandalorian’s child, unless there was something really weird going on. But what was he then?

Mando looked down at the Child and stroked him gently with his forefinger. 

“He sort of stuck with me,” he said, not elaborating on the matter.

Mara nodded. If the Mandalorian could respect her secrets, she definitely wasn't the one to ask questions. Still, she couldn’t help wondering what exactly was going on between the two.

* * *

Rab Quda's capital was large and lively. Wide boulevards, fancy buildings and luxury shops gave an impression as if the planet was still at the height of the Empire's power. The buzzing high street shimmered with lights and decorations to celebrate the upcoming Empire Day. 

Mara took a deep breath. The elite of Rab Quda was clearly at pains to give the impression of good old-fashioned days, when the galaxy was still in order. Mara didn't like it at all. There were too many bittersweet memories brought back by all this grandeur, too many emotions for her to push back.

But she knew better than to be fooled by such a facade. The city, as well as the Empire, was finished, no matter how hard its inhabitants pretended otherwise. And it started to show.

For one there was the apparent lack of stormtroopers. Every decent Imperial city used to have squads of troopers constantly patrolling the streets, ensuring that everybody behaved and no one was getting any funny ideas.

The troops were gone now and there was filth and decay under the shiny exterior. The side streets swarmed with scum, beggars and hungry children scrounging at stalls, petty criminals and wretched beings with worn-out expressions. The city was slowly but steadily approaching its downfall, it just hadn't realized it yet.

The Razor Crest was safely hidden in a small spaceport on the city outskirts, and for the last three hours Mando and Mara were watching the Governor's palace lying flat on the roof of an opposite building.

Mara crept to the edge and carefully peeked over. The palace was an opulent building, surrounded by a well-kept garden with statues and fountains. And in contrast to the city streets, there were stormtroopers.

“Choard's office is on the sixth floor,” Mando said. “Fourth window from the left.”

Mara studied the building with her binoculars. “Right. Can you tell how many people are inside the building?”

Mando turned on the thermovision in his helmet. “At least hundred, probably more.”

“That's too many,” Mara said, shaking her head.

For a minute, she let her mind wander nine years back, to the time when she was about to penetrate the very same man's palace on Shelkonwa. It had been so much different back then. She had been at the height of her power, with both the Force and the Empire as her allies. And the Hand of Judgment. 

Mara watched the stormtroopers guarding the building. Armors battered and dirty, stances negligent, completely lacking the aura of formidable Imperial soldiers. She frowned in disgust. They looked more like mercenaries than stormtroopers. 

There had been times Mara had caught herself thinking about LaRone and his squad. The Hand of Judgment, the only people in Mara's life she would call friends. They too were gone. Today, in contrast with the sloppy troopers below, she missed them more than ever.

Mando noticed her vacant expression. “Hey, you okay?”

Mara nodded and forced herself to concentrate. It was harder than ever. “There's probably a secret passage somewhere,” she said. “We can find it.”

“That would take time,” Mando said doubtfully. “And there's no guarantee it exists.”

“Infiltration then,” Mara said. “I'll sneak in, take the datacards and get out. You'll cover me from here.”

He shook his head. “No. We both go.” 

Mara rolled on her side and looked straight at the Mandalorian's faceplate. “Excuse me,” she said, her voice heavy with sarcasm. “But you are as inconspicuous as a Wookiee among Jawas.”

He didn't move a muscle. “We both go,” he repeated.

She pressed her lips. “You don't trust me,” she said. It was not a question.

“Do you trust me?” he replied.

Mara didn't have to think twice about the answer. Of course she didn't. 

“Fair enough,” she said sourly. “There is only one day we can do it, unless you want to take this shiny thing off. The Empire Day reception.”

“The what?”

“The Empire Day,” Mara explained patiently. “The idiots here still keep it. You saw the decorations, didn't you? And the local Governor always throws a reception. Food, music, fancy people, the stuff. We'll blend in among the guests. There will be lots of people and we'll attract less attention than if we try to get in now.”

Mando seemed to consider it. “It's probably the stupidest plan I've ever heard,” he said finally.

“What would  _ you _ do then?” Mara retorted. “Get inside and kill everyone?”

Mando just shrugged.

Mara knew he didn't mean it. There was no way they could get in by force and stay alive. “I can do it,” she said confidently. “I know how these people think. It's our best chance.”

He gave up. “Okay,” he sighed. “What's the plan?”

Mara gave him a sly smile. “First we get the invitation.”


	2. Chapter 2

For Mara, getting an invitation to the Empire Day reception was a matter of two evenings in the local officers' club. Guided by experience and intuition, she quickly befriended a young major who was quite eager to invite her to the Governor's party after a few drinks.

Once she had the invitation in her pocket, Mara made sure he drank the Andoan wine she had improved with Ryll spice. She knew that this combination, even though not really dangerous, would make him sick for at least two days. And she was right. In an hour his face went white and he muttered something about a refresher. Mara called a taxi speeder and helped him to get in, while stealing his own invitation from him.

He won't be needing it anyway, she thought on her way back to the Razor Crest.

Mando seemed unimpressed when she handed him the invitations. He returned from his last watch on the palace and now he and Mara were sitting in the cargo bay, putting together the final details of their plan.

“The guards are already at their positions,” he said. “Two snipers on the roof, four security groups on the grounds, and the whole street is closed for traffic.”

“They'll probably have a bunch of stormtroopers inside,” Mara said. “Better not to raise any attention. If there is trouble, we'll get out through the back door and escape across the gardens.”

“We have to get the datacards first,” Mando said.

“No kidding,” Mara said sarcastically. She handed him a sealed tray. “Here, I brought some proper food. You eat it and then get some sleep.”

“I'm fine,” Mando murmured.

Mara glared at him. “Listen, buddy boy,” she said angrily. “The last four days you sleep sitting in the cockpit chair and eat only when I'm out. Who knows whether you eat at all. If we're gonna do this thing, I need you fresh and sharp, understand?” She paused only to catch her breath. “I'm the one who has experience with this kind of jobs, so _I'm_ in charge. And you'll do what I tell you or I'm out.“

Mando stared at her and Mara clearly felt the daggers in his eyes even behind the helmet. 

She ignored him. “I'm going to make the last arrangements,” she said. “I'll be back in,” she checked her chrono, “five hours, so you can take your time.” Not waiting for his answer, she left.

When she came back, she was greeted by the Child's “uuugh”. Despite herself, she smiled at the sight of him. 

“Where's your daddy, little one?” she asked.

He was lying in the berth, fast asleep. The empty food tray was tossed on a disposal unit. Mara grimaced and tiptoed to the large crate they used for a table. The Child toddled after her.

“See what I got,” Mara told him softly and started unpacking the bag she brought. The Child watched her curiously.

“An evening dress,” she told the Child when she unwrapped the first package. The kid touched the silky fabric with his little hands.

“It wasn’t very expensive,” Mara explained to him, “but it’s fashionable and a little provocative. Just what a simple gold-digger would wear to such an occasion.” She smiled at him. “Fortunately you don't know what it means, do you, kid?”

The Child hummed.

Mara turned the bag upside down and a few more items dropped on the table. “Shoes of course,” she said. “The heels are not very practical, but it can't be avoided. Some cosmetics. Hairpins. And,” she picked the last item, “limo keys.”

The Child grabbed the keys and started chewing on them.

“What did you do to the owners?” Mando asked from behind her. There was no sleepiness in his voice.

Mara didn’t bother to turn around. “Don't worry, they'll be fine,” she told him. “But they're not gonna spoil the evening.”

She took off her jumpsuit and put on the dress. She wondered whether the Mandalorian was watching her changing. It would make her day to see any reaction from him, but he ignored her completely, attending to the Child instead.

Mara did her makeup, making sure to overdo it a little, but not too much. She was supposed to attract attention, not mockery.

“What about the kid?” she asked while skillfully arranging her golden-red hair into an elaborate bun.

“I'll put him to sleep,” Mando said, lifting the Child and taking the keys from him. “I will lock the ship. When the security protocols are on, nothing gets in. He’ll be okay.”

“Right,” Mara said and peeked critically at her mirror reflection. “I’m ready.”

Mando gave her a long look. Mara was almost sure that his eyebrows were raised high behind the helmet, but he said nothing. 

“Don’t forget to leave the weapons,” she reminded him.

This time she didn’t have to guess what kind of face he made. But again, he said nothing.

Mara waited at the limo-speeder for Mando to set up the razor Crest’s security lock. The limo was an old model, but it would make a better impression than arriving with a taxi speeder. And the impression was all that mattered now.

“You drive,” Mara said when Mando was finished. He obediently slided into the driver’s seat. The speeder started up with a low humming sound. Mara made herself comfortable in the back seat.

Mando slowly drove the limo to the city center. Just before they disappeared behind the first corner, he glanced back at the Razor Crest. It was only a small movement of the helmet, but Mara did notice. She knew where his thoughts were. Was he worried they wouldn’t come back, and the Child would be left orphaned inside a locked ship? That would be a terrible fate, Mara had to admit. 

She mentally shook her head. Mando could wear all the beskar in the galaxy and still she could see right into him. The armor that was inside her was so much stronger. And for just a split second, she envied him.

“Don't worry,” she murmured. “I’ll get you back alive. For the little one's sake.”

* * *

Mara timed their arrival for the rushest hour. The drive leading to the Governor’s palace was jammed with speeders and people. A bunch of uniformed guards was desperately trying to keep order. At least a dozen stormtroopers was supervising the area from the lawn and terraces.

Mando stopped the limo at the main entrance. Mara closed her eyes and took several deep breaths to concentrate. It had been ages since she did an act like this. But it was like a riding a speeder bike; once you learn how to do it, you never forget it. 

She carefully put on a radiant smile. “Time to go, shiny,” she said and stepped out.

They made their way as far as the atrium, where uniformed security guards were checking visitors for forbidden items. Mara scanned the area and confidently approached a young guard. She handed him the invitations.

The man looked first at Mara, then at Mando.

“Is this your escort?” he asked Mara.

Mara felt Mando stiffen and nonchalantly stepped in front of him. “It’s my bodyguard,” she told the guard and smiled sheepishly.

The guard snorted. “A Mandalorian?”

Mara lowered her voice. “They say they are the best,” she whispered. “There were two attempts to kidnap me in the last week only.” She blinked innocently. “Surely you understand I cannot let this happen.”

The guard frowned. “This building is very well protected,” he said stiffly.

Mara giggled. “You tell him…” she said and winked at the guard. “He's so overprotective!” She was careful not to overdo the frivolous part. The goal was to lull the guard's suspicions without him noticing he was being manipulated.

The guard scanned both of them with a handheld scanner.

“No weapons, I promise,” Mara said. “His muscles is all I need,” she giggled again. Not waiting for his answer, she made her way into the building, Mando at her heels. 

“What are you doing?” Mando muttered when they were out of earshot. “You said we would not attract attention.”

“This is the right kind of attention,” Mara said, watching the crowds around. “Now shut up.”

They reached a balcony above the main ballroom. A group of exquisitely dressed people stood around an important looking man in a fashionable outfit, talking and laughing.

Mara focused on the man in their midst. The features of his face looked somewhat familiar to her, and she also noticed two bodyguards standing discreetly behind him.

“Looks like one of our hosts,” she said quietly. “Let's make some new acquaintances, shall we?” 

Before Mando could protest, Mara and stepped right into the circle.

“Hello there,” she said and smiled at everyone with false timidness. “I hope I am not disturbing you. I only wanted to introduce myself, as I am new in town. My name is Claria.”

The men and women stopped talking and watched Mara with both amusement and disdain. The host however didn’t disappoint Mara. He stepped to her and bowed his head slightly. 

“Crayg Choard, at your service.”

“Oh, you're Governor Choard's son!” she exclaimed. “I'm so glad I met you. What a beautiful house you have, and I'm sure the party will be just killer–”

“Thank you,” Choard interrupted her politely. “I hope you'll enjoy yourself.”

Mara opened her mouth but he was already on his leave. 

“If you excuse me,” he said and turned to one of his companions. “Rian, will you be so kind and get the lovely lady something to drink?”

Mara gave him a dazzling smile.

“What can I get you?” Rian asked at the bar.

Mara batted her eyelashes. “You can get me anything, honey,” she said. “What would you recommend?”

“What about a glass of horstberry cider?”

“That would be just lovely,” Mara said and gracefully sat on a bar stool.

Rian nodded towards Mando who was standing at a discreet distance. “What about him?” he asked.

“What about him?” Mara repeated innocently. She raised her glass and took a sip. “Hmm,” she said approvingly. “What are we drinking again?”

“Horstberry cider,” Rian said. “Should I get anything for him as well?”

“He is not being paid for drinking,” she said, with a well measured note of irritation in her voice. She realized where Rian was heading and she knew she had to prevent his interest in Mando at all costs. But the stupid tinhead was sticking out like a sore thumb, she thought sourly. It would be so much easier if she could do it all by herself. 

It was time to take a step further. Mara leaned closer to Rian and looked around the room. “Now, will you be sweetheart and tell me who all these people are?”

Rian gave her a measuring look. “Let’s start with you,” he said, his voice friendly but firm. 

Mara took another sip of the drink. This was much safer ground, she thought with relief. Actually, she had expected this question much earlier. The fact that they had let her walk around and drink cocktails meant they were not really suspicious of her.

“Oh, me?” she said with a good imitation of surprise that someone would be actually interested in her. “I just came to Rab Quda to see my uncle, and to celebrate Empire Day. My uncle, Lorr Hernits, used to be a chairman of Kuat shipyards, and he’s retired now, you know, and he invited me and I just thought – why not? I always love to meet some new people.” She gave him a professional-gold-digger smile. Nothing she had said was true of course, but Mara hoped they would be long gone before Rian could check it out. “I’m really excited to be here. I’ve heard that Rab Quda is the most fashionable planet in the Outer Rim, and now I can see the rumors were true…”

Mara let her words flow while concentrating on the people around. The ability to talk while thinking was a useful one and Mara had perfected it long time ago. In fact, it saved her life on several occasions. Now she only hoped to annoy Rian so much that he would try and get rid of her.

It worked. 

“You wished to meet some of the people here, didn’t you?” he interrupted her. “Come on, I’ll introduce you.”

Three hours later, Mara started to get a grip on the situation. Steering from one group to another, she gained the information she needed little by little. She already knew the names and functions of all the important people at the reception. She also had a general idea of which of them worked inside the palace. 

No one seemed to like talking to her for more than a few minutes, so she easily passed from person to person. She even saw Barshnis Choard several times, but she was very careful not to be spotted. 

Mando was following her like a shadow the whole evening. Always keeping within earshot, carefully monitoring the movement of all people around Mara.

“Three possible targets,” Mando said when they were alone at the bar. Mara pretended to read the drinks menu while peeking over it’s edge.

“Wada Bilz, Choard’s secretary,” Mando nodded towards one of the men. “Probably has access to his office. Then there is the chief administrator, Twis Reiloom, his office is on the same floor. And Sohn Rian, Crayg Choard’s aide.”

“Rian you can cross out,” Mara murmured. “He’s too alert.”

She located the other two men, trying to guess which one would be an easier target. It was a little harder without the Force to guide her, but Mara wasn’t doing it for the first time.

“Twis Reiloom,” she decided. “He’ll be less obvious than Bilz. Moreover, he looks like he has already had his share of booze.”

“I agree,” Mando said.

Mara adjusted her dress. “Time for the main act,” she said. “Keep your distance.”

Reiloom was easier to deal with than Mara had hoped. Sulky and more than a little drunk, but willing enough to share a few more glasses with her.

Mara shifted her behavior from an annoying featherbrain to a compassionate, admiring companion. She insisted on a bottle of tsiraki and in a short while they were sitting together at a small table, chatting cheerfully. Mara poured him one glass after another, pressing her thigh against his while doing so. 

“You are such a good company,” Mara said with a smile, letting her eyes to get a slightly unfocused look. She put one hand on Reiloom’s arm, while with the other she emptied her glass into a flower pot behind her. “All the people here are so posh and boring, but you… I feel like I have known you for ages.”

“That’s… nice of you,” Reiloom said. His words came out a little sluggish. 

Mara poured another two glasses. “Cheers!” she said with a smile.

She carried her glass to her lips, sipped a little, then put it down again. She grabbed Reiloom’s shoulder as if trying to take hold of something.

“Are you okay?” Reiloom asked with concern.

“Oops,” Mara giggled apologetically. “I think I just had too many drinks tonight,” she said and hiccuped. “I feel a little dizzy.” 

Reiloom leaned towards her. “If you wish to lie down, I’d be happy to offer you a couch in my office,” he said with his eyes focused on her bare neck.

Mara giggled again. “Oh, you go fast.”

“With only my most sincere intentions,” he assured her. His hungry eyes were telling the opposite. 

Mara smiled lusciously. She had him.

* * *

Reiloom led her across the atrium to the administrative wing. Long corridors were dark and empty at this hour. Mara clinched to him while walking, but Reiloom wasn’t very steady either and every time they stumbled, she giggled.

They stopped at a huge wooden door. Reiloom searched his pockets for an access card. It was only then when he noticed they were not alone. Mando had followed them silently and now he was standing at the entrance to the corridor. His prominent silhouette was clearly recognizable in the dim light.

“Wait, wait,” Reiloom said with sudden alertness. “He isn’t coming, is he?”

Mara pressed her finger to his lips. “Don’t be silly,” she whispered. “He’ll stay outside.” 

Reiloom laughed nervously and finally found his access card. Then he had his fingerprints scanned. The lock made a silent clack and he dragged Mara inside.

The office was spacious, with a large wooden desk at the far end, two windows behind it and doors at each side. Reiloom closed the entrance door and pressed Mara against it.

“I have to search you first,” he breathed into her ear, his hands running up and down her body. “It’s the regulations, you know.”

Mara gave a soft sigh. “Well, if you insist,” she whispered. Then she pulled away.

“Wait,” she said anxiously. “Aren’t here security cameras everywhere?”

Reiloom smiled slyly. “Clever girl,” he said. He took Mara's hand and steered her across the room where he seated her on the desk. 

“The camera captures the door area only,” he explained, while trying to undo Mara's dress. “For security reasons, you know? Can’t have anyone watching the desk, obviously.”

“Obviously,” Mara purred and grabbed his hair with her fingers. Before he could do or even say anything, she tilted his head back with one hand and punched his cartoid artery hard with the other. She caught his limp body before it could fall down on the ground, hitting his nape for good measure. Everything happened quite noiselessly.

Mara carefully moved the chair from the desk, stood on it and inspected the security camera above her head. It was an old imperial model and it was a piece of cake for her to open it with her hairpin and rewire it. Now it would transmit only a loop of a closed door.

She returned to the entrance door, opened it a crack and patted Mando's shoulder pauldron. He cautiously looked around and silently disappeared in the office.

Mara was already busy with the window. Using her hairpin again, she disabled the alarm and opened the window. She looked out and measured the perimeter.

“It's a little farther than I thought it would be,” she said.

Mando leaned out. “It will do,” he said. 

He pointed his right arm at a rutolu bush that Mara had marked for him. A cord shot from his vambrace and precisely hit a package hidden in the bush. Mara scowled. There were times she could do this trick with the Force. Now, with the Emperor gone, most of her powers were gone as well. She took a deep breath and forced herself to concentrate. This was not the right time to dwell on the past.

Mando pulled the package up and started unpacking his equipment: a blaster, a jetpack, some explosives and a vibroblade. Mara had changed her heels for boots and tore off the long skirt of her dress. 

Mando handed her a small slicing computer. “Let's get the door opened,” he said.

Mara nodded and connected the computer to the door on her left. It beeped silently and started calculating. It took longer than she had expected, but finally the door lock clicked. Behind the door was another office, dark and empty.

Mando went first, scanning the room, blaster ready to fire. “Clear,” he whispered. 

Mara closed the door behind her and followed him across the room. There was a door in the opposite wall and she opened it, again entering a darkened office.

“One more door and we're there,” Mara said in a low tone.

Mando nodded, made two steps and froze, his hand raised in a “halt” sign. 

Mara held her breath. Now she heard it too. A voice, coming right from the office ahead of them. Barshnis Choard's voice.

Mara swore to herself. She tiptoed across the office, pressing her ear against Choard's office door. It was Choard, Mara was sure of it. She had used to have a perfect memory, enhanced by the Emperor's training, and she still remembered the faces and voices of all people she had ever dealt with.

Mando followed her. Even in such a tense situation, Mara had to admire his ability to move inaudibly with all the armor on him. He stopped at the door next to Mara and listened. Choard's voice was replaced by another, more artificial and interrupted by statics. A holocall.

Mando gestured to Mara, pointing at his blaster and at the door. Mara shook her head warningly. Choard had most probably came to the office just to make the call, and if so, he would return to the party soon. No point bursting in there shooting and drawing unnecessary attention. Mara put her hand on Mando's arm and gestured him to wait.

He nodded and leaned against the wall next to the door. Mara crouched beside him. She could sense his nervousness, but there was nothing they could do but wait. 

After what seemed like an eternity the call next door ended. There were some shuffling sounds, opening and closing of cabinet doors, screeching of a chair. Then the door leading to the corridor slammed and everything was silent again.

Mando and Mara didn't dare to move for another few minutes. After that, Mara got up and listened. There was nothing. She gave Mando an “all-clear” sign and started slicing the lock.

The office was indeed empty. It didn't look very different from the other offices they had seen. There was a large table, a filing cabinet, a sofa with a coffee table and a small bar with assortment of liquor bottles. The blinds on the windows were shut and the room was even darker than the ones before. Mando switched on the headlamp on his helmet.

Mara stepped to the filing cabinet and opened it. There were folders with datacards, neatly stowed and marked. She checked the labels and shook her head.

“These are finance records,” she said silently. “We need to find his personal data.”

Mando was already fiddling with the desk drawer. He opened it and inspected the assortment of personal items inside.

“Nothing here either,” he said.

Mara looked around. “There's supposed to be a safe,” she said thoughtfully. In a minute, she had it. It was hidden behind one of the paintings.

“Lame,” Mara sneered.

“Can you open it?”

“You're gonna blow it up if I can't?” Mara asked sarcastically. “That would be very inconspicuous.” 

The safe was a standard Imperial technology that Mara knew everything about. She only wished she had better tools with her. 

“I used to do this with professional tools,” she complained to no one in particular. “Now I have a screwdriver and a hairpin. That's just great." 

Mando watched her fast fingers fiddling with the safe lock. “So you were a thief?” he asked.

If looks could kill the one that Mara gave him definitely would. 

“I need more light,” she said instead and tapped the lock. The safe opened with a soft _click_. Mando moved his head so the beam of light would light up the interior of the safe. Mara looked inside, checking for hidden alarms or cameras. 

“Looks clear,” Mara said. Apart from a pile of Imperial credits, there were only a few datacards and holodiscs. She took them out and dropped them on the table. 

“Where do we start?” she asked.

Mando shrugged. “The holodiscs,” he said.

Mara scanned the pile of discs and picked two of them. “Let's start with these,” she said. “They're the only ones that have no labels on them and they are both only two days old.”

Mando inserted one of them into the holoprojector on Choard's desk. In a few seconds, a flickering downsized holo appeared, showing a woman in an Imperial uniform. Mara recognized a lieutenant's insignia on her chest.

“Governor Choard,” the holo said in a voice crackling with static. “I have good news. We have located the man you were searching for. His name is Talon Karrde and he is currently located on Socorro. He is supposed to be an information broker, but we have evidence that his other business include smuggling and other illegal activities. Evidently, he is one of the biggest underground operators in the Outer Rim. We are now waiting for the arrival of reinforcements from the Assailant. They will be here in eight days. After that, we should have no problems with eliminating the whole group. I will keep you informed.”

“Interesting,” Mara said and removed the holodisc. “But I guess it is not what we are looking for.”

“No,” said Mando and put in another holodisc. 

Mara could tell from Mando's suddenly stiffened posture that this one was the correct one. 

A young man in glasses appeared on the holo. “I have a message for Moff Gideon regarding the examination of the being,” he said in an uneasy voice. He was radiating nervousness even on the recording. “Will you please tell him that we have located an ancient temple? It is on a planet called Ossus. The temple has been destroyed, but we have a reason to believe there are still some records underground and that they may be intact. We would be most grateful if he could send someone to survey the place. It would help us very much in our research, especially now when the subject has been... stolen.” He cleared his throat. “I think that's all. Thank you very much.”

Mara mechanically removed the disc from the projector. Suddenly, everything clicked in place. 

“It's about the kid, isn't it?” she asked quietly.

Mando didn't answer and just stared at the spot where the holo had disappeared.

“There is something about him the Empire wants,” Mara said.

Mando didn't look at her. “Yes,” he said in a flat voice. “They want him–”

He never finished the sentence. Without warning, the lights went on, the door burst open and four stormtroopers stormed the office, their E-11 blaster rifles aimed at Mando and Mara.

They both froze.


	3. Chapter 3

“Well, well, well, what do we have here?” a voice said and an elderly, well-dressed man entered the office. The stormtroopers made a neat formation behind him. “Thieves?”

He looked at Mando, then at Mara. A surprised expression appeared on his face, only to be quickly replaced by a nasty smile.

“Mara Jade, personally,” he said with unconcealed satisfaction. “What a pleasant surprise. I wonder if you remember me.”

Mara glowered at him. “Barshnis Choard,” she said with disdain. “Former Governor and a traitor.”

Choard's smile widened. “It is nice to be recognized,” he said. “Honestly, I am rather surprised that you are alive.” He looked at Mando and shook his head. “But not doing well, I can see, working with mercenaries. Out of stormtroopers?”

“Not you as I see,” Mara growled and watched the four troopers.

Choard chuckled. “Indeed,” he said. “It must be frustrating for you to see that your work has been futile. I selfishly agree it were my skills and connections that got me out of the trouble. As I always said, power is everything that matters.” He stepped closer and looked in her green eyes. “And I am not a _former_ Governor. I am _the_ Governor. Unlike you, my failed Emperor's Hand.”

Behind Mara, Mando twitched. Choard shifted his eyes to him.

“And of course I know who you are, Din Djarin.” He made an intentional emphasis on the name. “I am quite surprised you are willing to work with an Imperial agent. After what happened at Nevarro.”

Mando's helmet turned towards Mara and then back to Choard.

Choard pressed his lips in a thin smile. “You didn't know, did you?” he asked in a soft voice. “I don't have to see your face to see your surprise.” He made a theatrical gesture. “Please let me introduce Mara Jade, the Emperor's Hand. A special agent, a most devoted servant of the Empire, and the closest person to the Emperor himself. Maybe after Lord Vader,” he said as an afterthought. He looked sideways at Mara. “Weren't you, Jade?” 

There was a very long silence. 

Mara knew this game well. The point was to set your enemies against each other so they weaken themselves. She would never fall for such a cheap trick. Unfortunately, it seemed to work on Mando.

“Is it true?” he asked.

Mara gave him a defiant look, but said nothing.

Mando aimed his blaster at her. “IS IT TRUE?” he shouted with rage that surprised even Mara. She made an involuntary step back.

“Yes,” she said. “It's true.” She tried to put some professional pride into her voice, but all that was left was pain. “But the Empire is not anymore.” 

“The Empire wiped out the whole Mandalorian covert on Nevarro,” Mando said through clenched teeth. His voice was on the edge of breaking. “And they want to kill the kid.”

Mara inhaled sharply in a vain attempt to hide her shock. “This is not the Empire I served,” she said quietly. Even to her it sounded false.

She turned to Choard. “I should have killed you when I had the chance,” she growled.

“Yes, your big mistake,” said Choard. “And the mistake of my naive nephew and his friends.”

“Your nephew was a good man,” Mara said. Somehow, it felt important to her to make this clear. 

Choard just snorted. “He was a fool,” he said. “I wonder what happened to him and his pitiful group of renegade stormtroopers. I suppose they all got arrested and executed.” 

“I wouldn't be so sure of that,” Mara snapped. She had never found out what happened to the Hand of Judgment, but she was quite sure they had not been arrested. She would have known.

“As much as I like talking to you,” Choard said, “I think it is time to end the show.” He gave Mara a smug look. “And I am afraid it would be too foolish of me to repeat your mistakes and leave you alive.”

Mara did some quick thinking. There was no way she could fight all six of them unarmed. She could take down Choard and one or two stormtroopers, three if she was lucky. But she knew she would never outfight Mando. Not without weapons. For a second she wished she still had her old lightsaber.

“I think I’ll pass the pleasure of killing you to the Mandalorian,” Choard said in a conversational tone. “After all, he’s a guest.”

Mara looked at Mando who hadn't moved since he had drawn his blaster on her. His posture was steady, seemingly calm, but Mara could sense the tension and weariness in him.

And suddenly, she understood. She too knew the life on the run, constantly hiding or fighting and having no chance to rest. Only, unlike Mara, the Mandalorian wasn't doing it for himself. The Child was his burden and his responsibility. And his reason to live.

Mara blinked back sudden tears. For the first time in her life, she felt that someone else's life was more worthy than hers. It was a new experience to her, and she wasn't quite sure that she liked it.

She looked straight into Mando's eyes, even though she couldn't see them behind the helmet. “Better you do it than him,” she said quietly. “I have no life anyway.”

Mando's finger twitched on the trigger.

Mara closed her eyes.

The blaster fired and the bolt missed Mara's head by centimeters. She quickly turned around and saw Barshnis Choard clenching his chest and dropping down. 

Before his dead body could hit the floor, Mando shot the two nearest stormtroopers. Mara didn't wait for the other two troopers to rally, jumped high and with a neat somersault landed behind them. Before any of the stormtroopers could react, Mara broke the first trooper's neck while Mando shot the other.

There was an awkward silence. Mara and Mando were eying each other across the room, five dead bodies lying between them. Mara opened her mouth to say something, but couldn't find any words.

Finally Mando spoke. “They know I'm here,” he said hoarsely. He suddenly sounded very tired. “They'll be going after the kid.”

“Let's get out of here then,” Mara said, all business again. She took the E-11 from one of the stormtroopers, then stepped to the desk and pocketed both holodiscs.

Together they darted through the door and sped down a dark corridor.

They ran straight into a full squad of stormtroopers.

* * *

“Freeze!” the stormtrooper commander shouted. “Drop your weapons!”

Mara and Mando looked at each other. He gave her a microscopic nod. Somehow, she didn't really know how, the last encounter made them understand one another. And Mara knew there was a man she could trust with her life.

She nodded back.

“Drop your weapons!” the stormtrooper repeated.

In a unison motion Mara and Mando leapt each to an opposite wall, shots of the Imperials shattering harmlessly above their heads. Mara hid in a nearby alcove, firing back with her stolen E-11. She glanced at Mando to see how he was coping.

He was coping well. Not even bothering to take cover he ran straight against the stormtroopers. Firing his blaster with one hand, he launched the whipcord with the other. Three troopers went down, entangled in the cord, and Mando shot them before they could get up. The remaining stormtroopers concentrated their fire on him, but he wasn't there anymore. Taking out his vibro-knife he jumped right into their midst. The E-11s were of no use on such a short distance. And Mando moved fast, much faster than the stormtroopers could react. He took them down, one after another. They fell with cut throats, crushed skulls and dislocated limbs. Others were simply blasted. 

Mara watched him with amazement. She had heard of fighting skills of the Mandalorians, but she had never before seen one in action. It was nothing short of impressive. 

Last two stormtroopers disappeared in a huge ball of fire coming from Mando's vambraces. Mara stepped from her hideout, waving away the smoke and nauseating smell of burned plastoid. Mando was standing above the pile of dead bodies, wiping blood off his vibro-knife. 

Mara felt a sudden knot in her stomach. Stormtroopers, the elite force of the Empire, all dead by the hand of one man. She bit her tongue, forcibly reminding herself that _these_ troopers were not _her_ Empire. Certainly they were not the Hand of Judgment.

“You really do know your stuff,” she said approvingly and stepped over the bodies.

“There will be more,” Mando said. “We must hurry.”

“The stairs to the atrium are over there,” Mara said and gestured towards the end of the corridor. “The whole palace must be on their feet now. If we are lucky, we can disappear in the chaos.”

They sped to the end of the corridor and stopped at the stairway leading to the atrium. 

They were greeted by a volley of laser bolts.

“Blast it!” Mara swore and hit the floor.

Stormtroopers flooded the atrium below, all looking up at them from behind their blaster rifles. Some of them were firing a covering fire while others started running upstairs towards Mara and Mando.

“What now?” Mara asked. “We don't have time for this.”

Mando frantically looked around. “Upstairs!” he barked.

They run up the nearest flight of stairs, taking them by two. 

“Do you realize,” Mara panted when they stopped on the next landing, “that going upstairs is probably what they expect us to do?”

“I know,” Mando said and reached to his belt. A small detonator appeared in his hand. “Hopefully they won't expect this.”

He placed the detonator at a supporting column. It blinked ominously.

“Go!” he shouted at Mara.

They sped up, blaster bolts from below blowing around them. Mara heard one or two shots hitting Mando's beskar, but he was still beside her, not even breaking his step.

They made it just in time. As soon as they reached the uppermost landing, the middle part of the stairway exploded. The whole construction shook and then slowly fell down in a magnificent cloud of dust.

They entered the roof through an unguarded service door. The rooftop was lit with moonlight and after all the noise it suddenly felt very quiet. Mara peeked through the door to check positions of the snipers. Both of them were at the same spots as in the afternoon, overseeing the street below and oblivious to what was happening inside the palace. 

She crouched and crept to the edge of the roof, right behind one of the snipers. He never had time to react before she knocked him down noiselessly. Mando did the same to the other sniper at the farthest side of the roof.

Mara just started to wonder what the hell should they do now, when she heard a distant roaring sound. It was a startlingly familiar sound and it was quickly getting closer.

A huge shadow of a TIE fighter appeared above the building and pinned her down with it's spotlight. Mara froze. Never before had she realized how formidable these things were. Suddenly, facing one of them, she could really appreciate it. Not that she liked it.

Fully concentrating on the roaring TIE, she didn’t notice Mando running to her at his full speed. She jerked in surprise when he bumped into her. Before she could do anything, they both fell over the roof edge.

The earth was quickly drawing closer. Mando grabbed Mara with one hand around her waist and pulled her firmly to his side. “Hold on tight!” he shouted over the noise of the fighter.

His jetpack activated halfway down and they rocketed up, leaving the TIE down below within seconds. The fighter fired at them and missed.

Everything had happened too quickly for Mara to react, but as they were gaining height she quickly oriented herself. She leaned over Mando’s shoulder and shot a few useless bolts at the TIE. They ricocheted harmlessly off it’s hull.

It was not the most comfortable ride Mara had ever had. She had never been afraid of heights, but there was something very bizarre about being so high in the air without any real support. She could only hope Mando wouldn't let go of her. She clinged to his side and didn’t dare to move, despite the hard beskar poking in her ribs.

Mando fired at the TIE with his free hand and Mara kept firing her E-11 over his shoulder to cover their backs. The fighter was still behind them though, blasting it’s laser cannons ominously. Mando dodged, the abrupt change of direction knocking Mara off balance so she nearly dropped the rifle. The TIE was still getting closer. Mara knew very little about flying with a jetpack, but she was quite sure the extra weight didn’t add to Mando’s speed and maneuverability. 

They were above the spaceport now. Mara could already see the Razor Crest. She also noticed several white figures surrounding the ship. So the stormtroopers were quicker after all, she thought dimly. They were slowly descending now. Mara shifted a little, careful not to put her legs in the way of the jetpack nozzles.

“Drop me!” she shouted. She felt more than saw Mando nodding. “Now!”

It was higher than she had expected. She landed hard on the Razor Crest's roof, getting the wind knocked out of her. When she got up, Mando was already flying away, the TIE heading after him. Mara looked down at the stormtroopers surrounding the ship’s entrance. Apparently, they had not yet managed to get in. Mara exhaled with relief. 

She checked her E-11. The power cells were almost empty, but they would do. She silently climbed down the hull and jumped the last two meters. She landed right behind the troopers.

“Surprise,” she said and pulled the trigger.

Letting go off Mara, Mando zoomed up with greater speed and headed towards the city's edge. The TIE was still behind him, firing violently from both laser cannons.

Mando, determined to lure the TIE as far from the Razor Crest as possible, kept dodging the bolts with all his skill. He was far more maneuverable than the TIE, which was his only advantage against the faster and better-armed fighter.

He went up, then swerved right and flew through a tight gap between two laser shots. He had no idea for how much longer he could dance among the bursts before he made a mistake, or before his jetpack went out of fuel.

“Where are you?” he growled and glanced back where the spaceport was. There was no sight of the Razor Crest.

The TIE roared above him. Red laser bolts swooshed around. That was too close. He headed up again, zigzagging on the way. The TIE tailed him, getting closer and closer. Before it could fire again, Mando abruptly stopped in midair, letting the TIE pass harmlessly above him. 

The fighter started to turn around when a new salvo of laser fire cut the air. Only this time it came from the opposite direction. The Razor Crest had arrived at last.

The TIE pilot became suddenly aware of the new threat and navigated the fighter to get the Razor Crest in it's gunsight. But even the best pilot would be no match for Mara. She easily evaded the TIE's fire, made an abrupt turnaround and shot the fighter neatly off the sky. 

The Razor Crest decelerated, waiting for Mando to catch up. In less than a minute, he landed safely on the lowered loading ramp. Then the ship gained height and headed for space.

The cockpit door opened and Mando burst in, panting heavily. The Child was sitting securely in his seat, twitching his huge ears at Mando. Mara was feeding the navcomputer with data for a hyperspace jump.

“What took you so long?” he asked.

Mara made a face. “You sealed the ship, you idiot,” she said. “I couldn't get in.”

Mando collapsed into the rear seat. “Yeah, sorry,” he said feebly. He reached for the Child and put him gently on his lap. The kid cooed.

“I had to burn through the hatch,” Mara said. “Hope you don't mind.”

“Not really,” he said and Mara would bet anything he was smirking behind the helmet. “I know a good mechanic that will fix it for me.”

Mara grinned and pulled the hyperdrive lever. Stars went into lines and they were out.

* * *

“Done,” Mara said and gave the Razor Crest's hatch an inspecting look. The ship was sitting in a small Socorro spaceport. For the last two hours Mara was inside, attending to the burned hatch lock. The Child was toddling under her feet and Mando was doing his best to keep the curious kid away from her and her tools.

“Thank you,” he said when she was finished.

“No problem,” she said and wiped her dirty hands into her jumpsuit. “You better have someone to have a look at this thing from now and then. The ship's a mess.”

Mando half-shrugged. “I've been told.” He stepped closer to Mara, his head tilted a little. “You did well.”

“So did you,” Mara said. “If all Mandalorians are like you, they won't be finished with you any time soon.” She paused and looked at him sincerely. Her green eyes were reflecting in his visor. “I am sorry for your brothers.”

He nodded, saying nothing. Mara didn't have to guess what emotions go behind the helmet. She glanced down at the baby.

“And you have the little one,” she said. “I guess he's your family now.”

“He is,” Mando said softly. He lifted the Child and held him in his arm.

Mara looked into the Child's huge eyes and again she sensed the strange connection between her and the infant. It filled her mind with peace. She had no idea what the little creature was but she knew there was something special about him. He gave her hope. Yes, Mara thought, there was hope, even for her. A hope of freedom and of happiness.

She gently stroked the Child’s wrinkled head. Then she looked at Mando. “What about my payment?” she asked.

“What about it?”

Mara cocked an eyebrow. “You didn't expect me to do it for free, did you?”

Mando hesitated, but for only a second. “How much?” he asked.

“Service of the best Imperial agent?” Mara smirked. “You could never afford it.”

Mando made a sound that sounded suspiciously like laughter.

Mara reached into her pocket and took out the two holodiscs she had stolen from Choard.

“We split the swag,” she said and turned one of the discs in her fingers, watching it curiously. “This Talon Karrde is supposed to be here somewhere. And the Empire is after him. Let's see if the information broker is interested in this kind of intelligence.”

“I suppose he will be,” Mando said.

Mara handed him the other holodisc. “You take this. I think there is a new journey for you.”

Mando nodded, taking the disc from her. “Thank you,” he said.

“You've got moff Gideon against you,” Mara said seriously. “I know him. If he's after the Child, he'll never stop hunting him.”

“I will protect him,” Mando said, his voice darkening noticeably. 

“I don’t doubt it,” Mara said. Then she asked the question that burned inside her for days. “Why are you doing it?”

Mando tilted his head. “This is the way,” he said simply.

Mara nodded. “Yes.” 

She stroked the Child's ear. “Goodbye, little one. And good luck.” 

Then she looked at Mando again. Suddenly it felt as if there was no beskar between them. She smiled at him. It was the first genuine smile she gave another human being in years. And it felt good.

“Good luck to both of you.”

She lowered the ramp and stepped outside. The sun was warm and freshness was in the air.

A new life was waiting.


End file.
